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(NoModeL) J. & F. H. WEEKS. Asparagus B uncher.

No. 233,051. Patented Oct. 5,1880.

1 lbs; mm:

5 [Ill-SKI] WITNESSES: v 525M011:

BY I {a ORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN WEEKS AND FRANK H. WEEKS, OF BROOKLYN, E. D., NEW YORK.

ASPARAGUS-BUNCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 233,051 dated. October5, 1880.

Application filed March 3, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom t't may concern Be it known that we, JOHN WEEKS and FRANK H.WEEKs, both of the city of Brooklyn, E.D., county of Kings, and State ofNew York, have invented a new Improvement in Asparagus-Ranchers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a sectionalside elevation taken through the line a; m, Fig. 1, and shown opened.Fig. 3 is the same view as Fig. 2, but shown closed. Fig. at is asectional plan view taken through the line y y, Fig. 2.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The object of this invention is to furnish asparagus-bunchers soconstructed as to gage the bunches, press the stalks together, and holdthem while being tied.

The invention consists in constructing an asparagus-buncher of abed-plate, an upright plate, two stationary jaws, and two movable jaws,and their operating mechanism, as will be hereinafter fully described.

'In the drawings, A represents the bed-plate of the machine, to one endof which is attached a vertical board or plate, B, to even the butts ofthe asparagus-stalks against when inserting them in the machine.

U is ajaw, the base edge of which rests upon the bed-plate A, and haslugs upon its opposite sides, to receive the screws that secure the saidjaws O to the said bed-plate. D is another jaw, placed in the reversedposition from thejaw O.

The bases of the jaws O D are made with offsets in the oppositedirections, as shown in Fig. 4, so that the said jaws may be exactlyopposite each other. The end parts of the bases fit between ribs formedupon the sides of the other parts of the said bases, to prevent themovable jaw from risingwhile being moved back and forth.

The jaws O D are curved forward, or made in semi-ring form, so thattheir points may meet, or nearly meet, when pushed together, as shown inFig. 3.

Two pairs of jaws, G D, are used, which are pierced at such a distancefrom each other and from the vertical plate B as will properly supportthe stalks.

To the rear parts. of the bases of the stationary jaws G are attachedpins E, which pass through slots in the forward parts of the bases ofthe movable jaws D.

To the outer ends of the pins E are pivoted the ends of bars F, theother ends of which are pivoted to crank-arms G, attached to the ends ofa shaft, H. The shaft H passes through slots in the forward parts of thebases ofthe stationaryjaws O, and works in holes in the rear parts ofthebases ofthe movablejaws D. The end parts of the rock-shaft H haveshoulders formed upon them to keep the bases of the jaws O D closetogether as the movable jaws D move forward and back. To the shaft H isrigidly attached an arm, I, to serve as a lever-handle in operating themachine.

With this construction, by raising the handle I into an uprightposition, thejaws D will be drawn back, as shown in Fig. 2, so that theasparagus-stalks can be inserted into the circular space between thejaws O D and their butts evened against the upright plate B. Thecircular opening between the jaws O D serves as a gage for regulatingthe quantity to be put into each bunch. WVhen the proper quantity hasbeen inserted the handle 1 is lowered, which forces the movable jaws Dforward into the position shown in Fig.3, pressing the stalks togetherand holding them until the bunch has been tied.

With this machine the bunches will be made of uniform size, and thestalks will be held firmly while being tied, so that the stalks will notbe bruised or cut by drawing them together with the strings, in theusual manner. Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

A n asparagus-buncher constructed substantiallyas herein shown anddescribed, consisting of the bed-plate A, the upright plate B, the twostationary jaws (J, the two movable jaws D, the two connecting-bars F,and the rock-shaft H, having crank-arms Gr and a handle, I, as setforth.

JOHN WEEKS. FRANK H. WEEKS. Witnesses 7 JAMES T. GRAHAM, O. SEDewIeK.

